Printing mechanism

Abstract

A printing mechanism comprises a print engine that prints an image on a first side of a photographic print media, a laminator that laminates the first side of said photographic print media having said image printed thereon, and a duplexer that returns said photographic print media to said print engine for printing on a second side of said photographic print media.

We claim:  
     
       1. A printing mechanism, comprising: 
       a print engine that prints an image on a first side of a photographic print media;  
       a laminator that laminates the first side of said photographic print media having said image printed thereon; and  
       a duplexer that returns said photographic print media to said print engine for printing on a second side of said photographic print media.  
     
     
       2. The printing mechanism of  claim 1  further comprising a dryer positioned between said print engine and said laminator. 
     
     
       3. The printing mechanism of  claim 2  wherein said dryer comprises a support surface for supporting said photographic print media and a convection dryer that blows hot air through air flow directors onto and across said photographic print media as said print media is supported on said support surface. 
     
     
       4. The printing mechanism of  claim 1  further comprising a binder, a converger and a print media tray. 
     
     
       5. The printing mechanism of  claim 4  wherein said binder comprises a collection device, a hole punch device and a binder clip feed device, wherein said collection device collects multiple sheets of said photographic print media printed by the print engine and aligns the sheets to create a stack, wherein said hole punch device punches a desired number and arrangement of holes in an edge region of the stack of aligned sheets, and wherein said binder clip feed device places a binder device through said punched holes to produce a photo album. 
     
     
       6. The printing mechanism of  claim 4  wherein said converger comprises a guide device and a pick mechanism adapted to pick a sheet from a print media tray, wherein said guide device comprises a roller and a curved surface that guide print media to said print engine from said paper tray, from a roll of print media, from a manual input zone of said printing mechanism, and from said duplexer, and wherein said converger further comprises a cutting device that cuts said print media when said print media is in the form of a roll, such that a single sheet of print media is fed to said print engine. 
     
     
       7. The printing mechanism of  claim 1  further comprising an input device adapted for manipulating a virtual image of said image printed by said print engine. 
     
     
       8. The printing mechanism of  claim 7  wherein said input device further comprises a monitor that allows an operator to view a virtual image of said image printed on said first side of a photographic print media, a keyboard device and a mouse device that allow manipulation of the virtual image, and a software program that allows downloading, arranging, cropping, enlarging, shrinking, and color enhancing of said virtual image. 
     
     
       9. The printing mechanism of  claim 1  further comprising a transport system. 
     
     
       10. The printing mechanism of  claim 1  wherein said laminator comprises a roll of transparent lamination film mounted on a backing, a take-up roll for taking up said backing after said lamination film is removed therefrom, and a pressure bar that applies heat and pressure to said lamination film to adhere said film to said photographic print media. 
     
     
       11. The printing mechanism of  claim 1  wherein said duplexer comprises a guide device having a downwardly sloping surface that guides said photographic print media into a return path for return to said print engine. 
     
     
       12. The printing mechanism of  claim 1  wherein said print engine includes a plurality of inkjet print heads each including a plurality of nozzles for applying ink to said photographic print media. 
     
     
       13. A printing mechanism comprising: 
       printing means for printing an image on one side of a dual-sided photo media;  
       coating means for coating said one side of said photo media after said image is printed thereon; and  
       return means for returning said photo media to said printing means for printing on an opposite side of said photo media.  
     
     
       14. The printing mechanism of  claim 13  wherein said return means turns said photo media with respect to said printing means so as to expose said opposite side of said photo media to said printing means prior to printing on said opposite side. 
     
     
       15. The printing mechanism of  claim 13  further comprising transport means for transporting said photo media through said printing mechanism. 
     
     
       16. The printing mechanism of  claim 13  further comprising drying means for drying said photo media, said drying means positioned upstream of said coating means. 
     
     
       17. The printing mechanism of  claim 13  further comprising image manipulation means for manipulating a digital image of said image printed on said photo media, and controller means for controlling the printing means, the coating means and the return means. 
     
     
       18. An improved printing mechanism including a print head for printing photographic images on a print media, wherein the improvement comprises: 
       a sealing device for applying a seal to a first image printed by said print head on said print media; and  
       a duplexer device for returning said print media to said print head for printing a second photographic image on an opposite side of said print media.  
     
     
       19. A printing mechanism comprising: 
       an input terminal that allows a user to create an image of a photo album page;  
       a print head that prints said image on a first side of a photo media;  
       a coater that coats said first side of said photo media after printing of said image thereon; and  
       a transport system that transports said photo media to said print head for printing on a second side of said photo media.  
     
     
       20. A printing mechanism comprising: 
       an input terminal adapted to download and allow operator manipulation of a plurality of digital photographic images to create a virtual photo album page image;  
       a print head carriage including a plurality of inkjet print heads adapted for printing said virtual photo album page image on a photographic media;  
       a convective dryer positioned downstream of said print head carriage, said dryer adapted for blowing hot air over said printed photo album page image so as to dry said image;  
       a laminator positioned downstream of said convective dryer, said laminator adapted for laminating said printed photo album page image on said photographic media so as to seal said printed photo album page image;  
       a duplexer positioned downstream of said laminator, said duplexer adapted for returning said printed photographic media to said print head with an unprinted side of said photographic media exposed to said print head for printing of a second photo album page image thereon; and  
       a binder positioned downstream of said duplexer, said binder adapted for binding multiple photographic media together to create a photo album having photo album page images printed directly on both sides of said photographic media.  
     
     
       21. A laminating device, comprising: 
       a print head adapted for printing an image on one side of a photographic print media;  
       a laminator that laminates said one side of said photographic print media having said image printed thereon; and  
       a duplexer that returns said photographic print media to said print head for printing on another side of said photographic print media.  
     
     
       22. A media handling device, comprising: 
       a printing device adapted to print an image on a first side of a photographic media;  
       a coating device adapted to coat said first side of said photographic media; and  
       a transport device adapted to transport said photographic media to said printing device such that a second side of said photographic media is positioned for printing thereon by said printing device.